Robert Gibbs

“ I don't know that it's fair to say that he's not spent a lot of time either thinking about or acting on foreign affairs, because I think, again, if you look at what this President has both tackled and accomplished in six weeks I think is an agenda that the American people can be proud of because the President certainly is. ”

“ Well, I think the process that starts at the White House on Thursday, and as the President talked about throughout the campaign, is an effort to bring stakeholders together to begin to discuss many of these issues. I think the President has said on any number of occasions that though he has ideas, he's anxious to hear other ideas, and if a consensus can be reached around a group of ideas that accomplish the goals of cutting costs and increasing access for millions of Americans, he's more than happy to listen and to adopt those. ”

“ You may emphasize preventative and catastrophic with something that you have to deal with personally in between, or does he want and try to get the stakeholders involved to do something that is across the board -- not only universal in its coverage, but universal in its access? ”

“ Look, I don't think it's a crazy question to ask about the commenting on whether or not somebody that seems to be, maybe for lack of a better word, a national spokesperson for conservative views and many in the Republican Party, what do I think about, or what does this White House think about him, on at least two separate occasions in front of large and applauding audiences seeking the failure of the President's economic agenda. ”

“ Well, the President believes it's important for the American people to see that what is being done in order to stimulate the economy is -- that people see that in a transparent way, that they're able to judge he and others on the implementation of that bill, and I think to give people confidence that this economy can and will be turned around, again, as he said last week, and that we're headed for brighter days. ”

“ What are the potential downsides in terms of not having a whole lot of time to focus on foreign policy?
GIBBS: Well -- well, first of all, I mean, the President obviously gets and spends a decent portion of his day -- he gets a daily intelligence briefing, as you know, and gets -- spends a decent portion of his day on foreign affairs.
I think obviously the administration is undergoing reviews relating to detainee policy and a comprehensive review of our policy in Afghanistan and Iraq. ”

“ Since the President talked so much about earmarks in the campaign, and as President, about keeping them out of the stimulus -- I know this is leftover business from last year -- but as something that he is either going to sign or veto, why not have earmarks that come from his administration essentially at least taken out to set -- send a signal, number one? ”

“ Panetta and certainly under the guise of this new administration, we want to give the people that work in the CIA the tools they need to keep us safe, but do so in a way that also protects our values. ”

“ Robert, you said that the entire economic team will be working on this health care plan and you said it will be a group effort. Who is leading the way on this? Who will be the point person, specifically, in dealing with the House and the Senate on this from the White House?
GIBBS: Well, certainly Nancy will. But, again, she will head health care reform here in the White House. But then -- you know, look, anytime you deal with Congress, you're going to involve many different people that work here, whether it's folks like Phil that deal with Congress every day; whether it's others. ”

“ I mean, obviously, the White House has confidence in her and her abilities as part of the health care reform effort here. And as I said, I think the team -- the entire economic team being involved -- will be involved in a process that moves an issue that has bedeviled Congress and this town for quite some time. ”

“ So we shouldn't view this as a political tactic coming from the White House, looking to pick and choose their enemies?
GIBBS: You know, I control many things. The speaking schedule of Rush Limbaugh, I think he and I would agree, I have very little control over.
[REPORTER] : Does the President have a direct ask that he's going to make to Prime Minister Brown tomorrow having to do with the economy? You've talked a little bit about simultaneous stimulus and obviously global -- but is there a specific ask of the Prime Minister when he's here that the President is going to make? ”

“ I think for anybody -- first of all, I think -- for anybody to assume that on Thursday that we're going to have, unfurl and get agreement from all the stakeholders on health care reform going forward, is rosy, even under the scenario that you just outlined about appropriations in this town. I don't think she has to worry that there will be plenty to do on health care reform, going forward. ”

“ No, I mean, when I talk about leftover business I mean these are -- I don't have to tell you guys that appropriations bills come up in the course of each calendar year in order to fund the ongoing and future functions of budget. Most of those are done usually before the fiscal year ends, generally before Congress recesses, most assuredly before the next Congress convenes. ”

“ Well, I think you saw remarks this weekend by the chief of staff and the budget director about the legislation. Obviously the President is concerned, despite the progress that has been made in this town, about the size and the scope of earmarks that we've seen over the past few years. I think even the most cynical among us would have to at least acknowledge that the number of overall earmarks has been cut. ”

“ You know, I mean, I think what's interesting in relating to sort of Prime Minister Brown's visit -- you have -- I think many of the things that we talk about and deal with every day are many of the things that people throughout the world, many of the leaders -- particularly those in the G20 -- are dealing with each and every day. ”

“ That they know, that you guys know what happened to the previous billions before you hand over this next $30 billion.
GIBBS: Yes, the -- I mean, I don't think it's a -- well, obviously you've got a huge insurance company that is losing money not the least of which because of its sheer size and the sheer size and decrease in the growth in our economy. It experiences a far bigger drop largely because of its size. But again, the steps that -- that Treasury and others took were to ensure a larger systemic problem wasn't one that we had to deal with here today in letting something just die. ”